Instagram is rapidly removing posts from political leaders, activists, and news organizations in India following high-level meetings between Meta leadership and the Union government. The wave of censorship includes content from the Indian Youth Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das, and the news portal Scroll.in. The government has focused on the platform’s recommendation algorithm, citing the amplification of anti-establishment content as a factor in last month’s youth protests that preceded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Did You Know? The Home Ministry’s Sahyog portal is being used to file content takedown requests with social media platforms, a mechanism that the Software Freedom Law Centre, India (SFLC) describes as a parallel system operating without the legal safeguards present under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000.
Censorship Mechanisms and Legal Disputes
Screenshots of the blocked content indicate that Meta is citing the IT Rules, 2021, to justify the takedowns. While many reels remain accessible, other posts with millions of views have been removed, and users on X have reported that protest-related content is appearing less frequently on Instagram. According to the SFLC, the current moderation process lacks transparency and effective mechanisms for review, placing a heightened responsibility on platforms to provide clear reasons for enforcement actions.
Meta’s approach differs significantly from that of X, which often retains content reported under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act because such notices do not carry the same criminal liability as those issued under Section 69A. Pranesh Prakash, a tech law and policy consultant, noted that Meta’s tendency to comply automatically with these requests grants the government extensive powers of quick censorship. He previously stated that platforms are only legally required to act when content is challenged in court, yet Meta has continued to remove material it is not legally obligated to suppress.
Impact on Political Discourse
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das characterized the trend as a blanket ban on protest-related and government-critical content. “Any social media platform doing this under pressure is going against free speech principles and public interest,” Mr. Das said, arguing that algorithms should be used to moderate illegal content rather than police public discourse.
The scope of these removals has affected diverse voices. On August 6, 2026, Facebook restricted several posts by Mr. Kejriwal, who had been using the platform to criticize the government’s ethanol blending policy. Additionally, a viral video featuring Students’ Federation of India activist Sakhi—which had garnered over one crore views—was removed. The video had depicted the activist mocking police instructions during demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
Frequently Asked Questions
The removals follow meetings between Meta and the Union government regarding the platform’s recommendation algorithm and the amplification of anti-establishment content linked to recent youth protests.
Unlike X, which frequently leaves up content reported under Section 79(3)(b) to avoid legal liability, Meta has been observed complying automatically with these requests, facilitating a faster, more expansive censorship process.
The Software Freedom Law Centre, India (SFLC) states that the Sahyog portal operates as a parallel system for content takedowns that lacks the procedural safeguards and judicial oversight required under Section 69A of the IT Act.